The island’s Harbours, Shipping & Pilotage Committee, and its Tourism Committee issued a joint statement at the weekend following criticism of Isle of Sark Shipping’s winter timetable, which offers no Sunday sailings and ferries only on alternate Wednesdays from the start of November until the end of March.
‘They [the decisions] are guided by the clear aim of ensuring the company remains resilient and capable of supporting Sark and its economy – not just in the immediate future, but for the long term as well,’ they said, adding that throughout the review process, all conseillers involved highlighted the importance of ensuring they continued to meet Sark’s essential medical, education, and tourism needs where possible.
‘These priorities were at the forefront of discussions to make sure that, even with reduced sailings, the schedule remains workable for our community and visitors alike.’
They added that Sark Shipping was committed to taking on board feedback from residents and to be flexible, where possible, with additional crossings or changes to the schedule.
‘The reduction in crossings, while understandably unpopular, is a measure intended to help safeguard the financial sustainability of the service and company. The planned three-day midweek break in return sailings will also provide essential time for critical maintenance.
‘We fully appreciate that these proposed changes are vastly different than previous winter timetables, however, these are responsible and considered decisions made with Sark’s long-term interests at heart – to protect the continuity of our lifeline service and ensure it remains dependable for generations to come.’
An extraordinary general meeting of the company has been called for today with all islanders and conseillers invited. The company said that due to the high level of interest in the meeting, an additional evening session would be organised on a date to be arranged.
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